Post on 25-Jul-2020
Lodge Grants: Serving
Those Who Served
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Passion Into Action
Every veteran at some point in time in their lives was willing to give everything for our freedom, so I think everyone should at some point in time in their lives be willing to give something to those veterans. - Pat Gleason, Chief of Voluntary Service, Jesse Brown VA Medical Center
Elks pledge to never forget our nation’s veterans. In
2014-15, 743 different grants were used for projects
served veterans and military members in need. It’s
clear that Elks have a passion for this cause, and have
put that passion into action.
We’ve done the research to provide you with the
guidance you need to effectively serve veterans and/or
active-duty military members.
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Today’s Veterans
• Projected U.S. Population of Veterans: 21,999,000
– 9% of U.S. Veterans are female
• 45.23% of Veterans are aged 65 or older
• Total enrollees in VA care system: 9.11 million
• 6.6 million Veterans received services from the VA
in 2014
• 54% of veterans surveyed by Blue Star Families
reported that their transition from service was
difficult.
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Today’s Veterans
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Think Local
• Find local needs. Contact the experts. Reach out
to nearby clinics, nursing homes, military
hospitals and bases, transitional centers, the
USO, Fisher House, and other organizations that
support veterans and military members in need.
• Don’t start from scratch and don’t duplicate
services. Learn what is already available, which
programs are working, and what more could be
done.
• Ask how the Elks’ active support can help.
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Focus on Results
Good intentions are not enough. Be practical, considerate
and well informed.
If your Lodge is using a Beacon, Freedom or Gratitude
Grant to serve veterans and military members in need, it
must focus on one of these five areas of increased need.
• Employment
• Homelessness and Housing
• Military Families
• Health
• Educational Support
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Employment
• Many military members struggle to find
employment when they return home. Help
veterans adapt their military skills and find jobs
in the local community.
• Veterans aged 18 to 34 have higher poverty
rates than the general population, and the
poverty rate for all veterans is increasing.
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Red Lodge ‘Beartooth’,
Mont., Lodge No. 534 Red Lodge uses an Impact
Grant to partner with the Yellow
Ribbon Committee. Together,
they provide veterans in
Montana and the surrounding
area with the assistance they
need to transition to civilian life.
Through the Veteran Education
and Job Training project, Elks
host a series of two-day
workshops where they assist
veterans with networking skills,
resume-building, job training
and interview techniques.
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Homelessness and Housing
Homelessness and Housing
• is a struggle for many who have served, and as
many as one in five homeless persons is a
veteran. By reaching out to the homeless
population in your community, you are
supporting veterans.
• A 2014 study by HUD indicates that 11 percent
of homeless adults are veterans.
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Tallahassee, Fla., Lodge No. 937
Tallahassee Lodge uses
its Gratitude Grant to assist
homeless veterans. Elks
collect donations, and
purchase supplies such as
clothing and health and
comfort items. Then, they
distribute these items to
homeless veterans who
attend the North Florida
Stand Down.
Some Other Lodge also uses its
grant to volunteer at a Stand Down
for homeless veterans.
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Military Families
Military families
• have unique struggles—spouses may have trouble
finding employment, families may struggle with
finances, and children may need help with school
transitions and coping with the absence of a parent.
• Multiple deployments, combat injuries, and the
challenges of reintegration increase stress.
• Fifty five percent of the force is married and 40
percent have two children.
• 63 percent live in over 4,000 communities
nationwide.
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Tyler, Texas, Lodge No. 215
Tyler Lodge uses its
Beacon Grant each year
to hold events for children
of fallen soldiers. Elks
partner with Gold Star
Mothers to plan trips that
will allow youth to spend
time with other children
and families in the same
situation.
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Health
Health (including mental health and independent
living)
• Veterans with injuries have many needs, and
health is a concern for many vets. Hospitalized,
homebound and elderly veterans may have little
support. Care kits, clothes, bus passes, and
supplies are always needed. Personal contact is
also needed, and much appreciated.
• There are 3.7 million veterans in the United
States with a service-connected disability.
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Brenham, Texas, Lodge No. 979
Brenham Lodge uses
its Freedom Grant to
partner with a local
PTSD therapy group for
veterans. Elks plan
social outings like
fishing trips to help
veterans relax and feel
comfortable spending
time with each other. Florida Keys, Fla., Lodge No. 1872
uses its Impact Grant to hold
recreational outings for veterans in
need, such as homeless veterans,
injured veterans and veterans with
PTSD.
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Educational Support
• Many recently returned veterans are at risk of
dropping out. Student veterans need extra help
to get an education, stay in school and focus on
their future. Reach out to student veterans in the
community and provide them with educational
support.
• Veterans are more likely to drop out of college
than their non-veteran counterparts.
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Macomb, Ill., Lodge No. 1009
Macomb Lodge uses its
Beacon Grant to support
veterans at nearby
Western Illinois University.
Elks partner with the newly
formed Veterans
Resource Center on
campus to plan events
and support student
veterans readjusting to
civilian life.
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Be a Friend
• Social Opportunities
– Welcome veterans into your Lodge and in the
community. Many younger veterans are
uncomfortable with overt displays of
appreciation, but are still looking to build
relationships and find support.
• Veterans are a resource in the community.
– Veterans are service-minded individuals.
Invite them to lend a hand with your Lodge’s
charitable activities!
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Questions?
Need more help? Contact the Lodge
Grants office. We’ll help you turn
your idea into a great project!
773/755-4730
LodgeGrants@elks.org